Founder-led Testament Beauty makes skincare that pairs garden-grown ingredients with clinical actives, with formulas designed to bring radiance at every age. Based in Brooklyn, the brand draws particular character from Mediterranean beauty traditions, including Damascena rose harvested in Isparta, Turkey, while its products are made in the USA with responsibly sourced global ingredients. Founder Sophia Chabbott’s line has been featured in outlets including Allure, W Magazine, and Town & Country.
PRESTIDGE beautéNew York makeup artist and former esthetician Shawnelle Prestidge creates minimalist botanical skincare through PRESTIDGE beauté, including the brand’s signature Ageless Skin Serum. Drawing on more than three decades in editorial and celebrity beauty, Prestidge develops small-batch formulas in her Brooklyn studio and infuses them with Reiki and other energetic modalities. The line uses organic or wild-harvested botanicals, avoids animal testing, and is designed to replace a complicated routine with a few intentional essentials.BROOKLYN, NY
Violets Are BlueAfter breast cancer treatment left Cynthia Besteman searching for safer beauty products, she founded Violets Are Blue in 2015 to make naturally derived skincare for the face and body. The company pairs its botanical formulations with a direct support mission: 10% of product purchases fund Beloved gift packages for women beginning chemotherapy at Mount Sinai’s Dubin Breast Center in New York City. Its work has earned Best In Show from the Indie Beauty Expo and recognition from the Beauty Shortlist.
Sabbatical BeautyBorn from founder Adeline Koh’s 2015 kitchen experiments during an academic sabbatical, Sabbatical Beauty makes small-batch, high-concentration skincare in Philadelphia. Its Korean-inspired formulas center on meaningful levels of botanicals, layered hydration, and skin-barrier repair rather than token “active” ingredients. The company also matches donations to its Pay It Forward Fund dollar for dollar, extending its skincare community to people facing financial insecurity.PHILADELPHIA, PA
Palermo BodyPalermo Body makes botanical skincare and self-care products, handcrafted in small batches at its Brooklyn studio with a sensibility shaped by Sicilian heritage. Founder and formulator Jess created the brand in honor of her Sicilian grandmother, Nonna Vincenza, and follows a minimalist formulation philosophy that gives each ingredient a clear purpose. The company’s products have also found a place in luxury spa treatment menus, including those at Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire and Carneros Resort & Spa.